Compartmented carton



April 28, 1959 R. T; ROSSUMf 84,

Y COMPARTMENTED CARTON Filed Oct. 10,1955 7 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q I mmyroa, I E 9:444 .iioa'swr Zi/Possw BY cW zzzw April 28 1959 R. T. ROSSUM COMPARTMENTED CARTON Filed Oct. 10, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent COMPARTMENTED CARTON Robert T. Rossum, New York, NY.

Application October 10, 1955, Serial No. 539,548

11 Claims. (Cl. 229-28) The present invention relates to compartmented cartons, and is particularly directed to a compartmented carton that can be folded flat for convenience in storage and shipment prior to the filling thereof.

An object of the invention is to provide a compartmented carton that can be folded fiat and that is constructed and arranged for easy erection to its operative condition in which it is adapted to receive similar or dissimilar articles in the several compartments thereof.

Another object is to provide a compartmented carton of the described character that is formed of a single blank of cardboard or the like, suitably cut, folded and glued for economical production of such cartons.

Still another object is to provide a foldable compartmented carton that protects the articles in the several compartments thereof, and yet displays the articles to stimulate the purchase of the articles when the carton is positioned on the storekeepers counter-top or shelf.

A further object is to provide a foldable compartmented carton of the described character having considerable rigidity, when in its erected or operative condition, to afford substantial protection against breakage to the articles contained in the several compartments thereof.

In accordance with the invention, the above, and other objects, features and advantages, are achieved by providing a carton having integral top, bottom and side walls, end walls integral with the opposite ends of the top wall, and extensions integral with the end walls and joined together within the carton to define a false bottom that is slidable longitudinally, by rocking of the end walls, between an erected position against the true bottom wall of the carton and a flattened or inoperative position against the underside of the top wall, the latter having foldable portions cut therefrom and joined to the false bottom so that, when the false bottom is moved to its erected position, the foldable cut portions of the top wall pivot with the end walls out of the plane of the top wall and assume erect positions to define laterally extending partitions dividing the interior of the carton into several compartments which open upwardly through the areas of the top wall from which the partitions have been removed. 7

In order that the invention may be fully understood, an illustrative embodiment thereof is hereinafter described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank from which a carton embodying the present invention can be produced;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a carton produced from the blank of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, but on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 2, but on an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 5 is an end view, on an enlarged scale of the carton of Fig. 2, but illustrating the flattening of the carton for convenient storage or ,shipment thereof.

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Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to Fig. 1 thereof, a blank from which a foldable, compartmented carton embodying this invention can be produced is there illustrated and generally identified by the reference numeral 10.

The blank 10 is formed of cardboard, or any other suitably stiif, foldable sheet material, and includes a rectangular central portion 12 defined between parallel, spaced apart fold lines 14 and 16. The central portion 12 is intended to form the bottom of the carton and has side forming portions 18 and 20 hingedly joined thereto along the fold lines 14 and 16, respectively.

Two top wall forming portions, generally identified by the reference numerals 22 and 24 and each having a width or lateral dimension equal to approximately onehalf the width of the central portion 12 of blank 10, are hingedly joined to the portions 18 and 20 along longitudinal fold lines 26 and 28, respectively. End wall forming portions 30 and 32, and end wall forming portions 34 and 36, are hingedly connected to the opposite ends of top Wall forming portions 22 and 24, respectively, along fold lines 38, 40, 42 and 44, respectively.

Longitudinal partition forming portions 46 and 48 extend along the outer edges of the top wall forming portions 22 and 24 and are joined to the latter along longitudinal fold lines 50 and 52, respectively. A securing tab portion 54 extends along one of the longitudinal partition forming portions, for example, along the portion 48, and is joined to the latter along a longitudinal fold line 56. False bottom forming portions 58, 60, 62 and 64, each having a length and width substantially equal to one-half the length and width of the bottom forming portion 12, are hingedly joined to the end wall forming portions 30, 32, 34 and 36, respectively, along lateral fold lines 66, 68, 70 and 72.

Each of the top Wall forming portions 22 and 24 is divided into a number of longitudinally contiguous sections equal to the number of compartments to be defined in the related half of the carton. In the illustrated embodiment, the carton formed from the blank 10 is to have twelve compartments so that the portions 22 and 24 are each divided into six sections by equally spaced apart, lateral fold lines 74, 76, 78, and 82 and lateral fold lines 84, 86, 88, and 92, respectively.

The top wall forming portions 22 and 24 have generally diamond-shaped cut-out openings 94 and 96, respectively, between the fold lines 38 and 74 and the fold lines 42 and 84 to provide access to a first compartment at the related side of the carton formed from the blank 10. Lateral partition forming portions 98, 100, 102, 104 and 106, and lateral partition forming portions 108, 110, 112, 114 and 116 are cut from the top forming portions 22 and 24, respectively, between the lateral fold lines 74 and 76, 76 and 78, 78 and 80, 80 and 82, 82 and 40, 84 and 86, 86 and 88, 88 and 90, and 92, and 92 and 44. Such lateral partition forming portions are defined, at their sides, by cuts which extend along the longitudinal fold lines 26 and 50 or 28 and 52 from one lateral fold line and then converge toward the other lateral fold line. For example, the lateral partition forming portion is defined between cuts 118 and 120 which extend along the longitudinal fold lines 26 and 50 from the lateral fold line 76 and then converge toward the fold line 78.

It will be seen that the central portions of the lateral fold lines 76, 78, 80, 82 and 40 and of the lateral fold lines 86, 88, 90, 92 and 44 between the converging ends of the cuts defining the side edges of the related lateral partition forming portions are offset slightly with respect to the parts of such lateral fold lines disposed outside the converging ends of the related cuts.

"Further, the partition forming-portions 98, 10B and 102, and the partition forming portions M8, 110 and 112 have rectangular tabs 122, 124, 126, 128, 130 and 132, respectively, integral therewith and defined, at their sides, by parallel cuts 134 and 136 which, with reference to the tab 124, extend from the converging ends of the cuts 113 and 120, and, at their free ends, by a lateral cut 13% extending between the cuts 134 and 136 in the next ad jacent lateral partition forming portion.

Tabs 140 and 142 defined, at their sides, by cuts 144 and 146, extend between the central portions of the lateral fold lines 82 and 40 and of the lateral fold lines '92 and 44, respectively, to connect the free ends of the partition forming portions 104 and 106 and of the partition forming portions 114 and 116, respectively.

The blank -10'is completedby semi-circular ears 143 and 154) cutfrom-the bottom forming-portion12, adjacent one endof'the latter and;at opposite sides of the longitudinal medial line thereof. The false bottom forming portions '58 and 62 have corresponding slots 152 and 154 out therein at distances from the fold lines 66 and 70 substantially equal to the distances from the ears 148 and 150 to the adjacent end edge of the portion 12.

Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 illustrate a carton formed from the blank and generally identified by the reference numerallfia. The several parts of the carton 10a are identir'ied by the same reference numerals employed in describing the corresponding parts of the blank 10, but with the letter a appended to such reference numerals. In forming the carton 1th; from the blank 19, the end formingportions and 34 are folded inwardly at the fold lines 38 and 42, along with the related portions 58 and 62, to overlie the top forming portions 22 and 24, respectively, while the false bottom forming portions 69 and 64 are also folded inwardly, at the fold lines 68 and 72, so that the free ends of the latter abut the free ends of the portions 58 and 62, respectively, in the regions of the tabs 126 and 132. Adhesive is applied to all of the tabs 122, 124, 126, 128, 130, 132, 140 and 142 to secure the tabs to the related false bottom forming portions 58, 60, 62 and 64, and so that the tabs 126 and 132 respectively join together the portions 58 and 60 and the portions 62 and 64.

Following the securing of the false bottom forming portions to the top forming portions, the side forming portions 18 and 20 are folded, about the lines 14- and 16, relative to the bottom forming portion, and the top forming portions 22 and 24 are then folded, about the lines 26 and 28, relative to the portions 18 and 20, so that the 'portions 22 and 24 overlie the bottom forming portion 12. The longitudinal partition forming portions 16 and 48' are folded toward the portion 12 at the center of the latterso that the surfaces of the portions 46 and 48 abut. The abutting surfaces of the portions 46 and 48 are adhesively secured together, and adhesive is applied to the longitudinally extending tab 54 which is folded along the line 56 and secured to the bottom forming portion 12 at the center of the latter so that the partition forming portions 46 and 48 are parallel to the side forming portions 18 and 28.

After the blank 10 has been folded and adhesively secured in the manner described above, the side wall forming portions 18 and 20 can be positioned at right angles to the bottom forming portion '12, and the false bottom forming portions'58 and 69 and 62 and 64 can be moved, relative to the top forming portions 22 and 24-, to operative'orerected positions "against the portion 12 merely by pivotal movements of the end-forming portions 30, 32 "and 36 to positionsperpendicular' to the top forming portions. Since the partition forming portions 98 to 116, 'inclusive,'are connected, at their free ends, to the false bottom forming portions, it is apparent that the movement of the latter, from'their initial or inoperative portions to the operative or erected positions "against the bottom forming portion 12, will cause the partition forming portions 98 to 116, inclusive, to pivot out of the planes of the portions 22 and 24 to erected positions where they depend vertically from the latter.

The above manipulation of the folded and glued blank will result in a compartmented carton 10a having a bottom wall 12a, side walls 18a and 20a, top wall portions 22a and 24a, a longitudinal partition 46a48a joined, by a tab 54a, to the bottom wall 12a, false bottom walls 5L1a-60a and 62a-64a joined at their opposite ends to end walls 312a and 32a and end walls 34a and 36a, respectively, depending from the ends of top wall portions 22a and 24a, and lateral partitions 98a to 116a, inclusive, joined to triangular gussets that are all that remain of the top wall forming portions and dividing the interior of the carton at each of the opposite sides of the longitudinal partition 46a48a into six compartments, that is, dividing'the interior of the carton into a total of twelve compartments. The several compartments of the carton 113a open upwardly through the openings 94a and 6a of the top wall portions 22a and 24a and through the areas of those top wall portions vacated by the partitions 93a to 116a, inclusive, when the latter are pivoted to their erected, vertically depending positions.

When the several lateral partions are in their erected, vertically depending positions, shown in full lines'on Fig. 3, the ears 148a and a can be engaged in the slots 152a and 154a of the false bottom portions 58a and 62a to prevent further sliding movement of the false bottoms relative to the bottom 12a.

With the carton 141a erected, as above, the several lateral partitions 98a to 116a, inclusive, abut, at their side edges, against the side walls 18a and 20a and the central longitudinal partition 46a48a to prevent the lateral collapse of the carton thereby to provide secure protection for fragile articles disposed in the several compartments.

When it is desired to fold the carton 10a, for convenient storage or shipping thereof, an end wall or one of the lateral partitions associated with each false bottom is rocked in the direction removing the ears 148a and 150a from the slots 152a and 154a and then in the opposite direction, as represented by the broken lines on Fig. 3, so that the end walls30a and 34a fold' under the related top wall portions and the false bottoms 58aetia and 62a64a move against the under sides of the top wall portions 22a and 24a restoring the lateral partitions 98a to 116a to their inoperative orfolded positions in the'planesof the related top wall portions, whereupon, the cartoncanbe folded laterally, as represented ;in Fig. 5, todi'spose' the side wall 18a and partitidi1-46a-48a against the bottom wall 12a.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that, in either erecting or flattening the carton 10a, the end walls and lateral partitions at the opposite sidesof the longitudinal partition 46a4$'a all 'move'together by reason of the linking action of the false bottoms so that erection or collapsing of one end wall or lateral partition is effective to erect or collapse allthe other lateral partitionsand end walls at the same side of the longitudinal partition. Thus, erection and collapsing or flatteningof the carton is facilitated. Further, since the carton 10a is formed from a single blank 10 which can be cut and provided with the necessary fold lines in one stamping Qrblanking operation, it is apparent that the production of such cartons can be effected economically, Although the carton 10a is easily'folded or collapsed for convenient storage and shipment, the carton, when erected, is rigid to 'afiofd protection against shocks and impacts for -th'e articles contained in the several compartments, and yet, ex oses the articles to view to "stimulate the purchase thereof when the carton is displayedon the storekeepers countertop or shelf.

In the embodiment 1 of the invention illustrated and described herein two longitudinal series ofcompaftinents are provided in the carton. it is to be understood, however, that a single series of compartments may be provided, if desired, by merely using one half of the blank of Fig. 1. Assuming the blank to be cut along its longitudinal center line, it is apparent that the portion on the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, may be formed into a single series compartmented carton by following the directions herebefore given and securing the tab 56 to the inside of the partition 12. It is also to be understood that the number of compaitments in the illustrated carton may be varied as desired.

While an illustrative embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment, as obviously various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A carton or the like comprising a bottom wall, side walls and a top wall, end walls hingedly depending from the opposite ends of said top wall and laterally coextensive with the latter, a false bottom wall hingedly connected, at its opposite ends, to the edges of said end walls remote from the top wall for movement between an erected position upon said bottom wall and an inoperative position against the under side of said top wall as said end walls swing relative to said top wall, and lateral partitions which are laterally coextensive with said top wall, said partitions being struck from said top wall and hingedly secured, at their opposite ends, to said top wall and false bottom wall, respectively, to swing parallel to said end walls so that, as the false bottom wall moves toward said erected position thereof, said lateral partitions are drawn out of the plane of said top wall to vertical, erected positions where said lateral partitions divide the interior of the carton into a plurality of separated compartrnents.

2. A carton or the like comprising bottom, side and top walls hingedly connected along the longitudinal edges thereof for movement between a flattened condition and an erected condition defining a rectangular cross-section, end walls hingedly depending from the opposite ends of said top wall and laterally coextensive with said top wall, a false bottom wall hingedly connected, at its opposite ends, to the edges of said end walls remote from said top wall for movement, in response to rocking of said end walls between an erected position upon said bottom wall and an inoperative position against the underside of said top wall, and lateral partitions which are laterally coextensive with said top wall, said lateral partitions being struck from said top wall and hingedly connected, at their opposite ends, to said top wall and false bottom wall, respectively, to swing parallel to said end walls so that, as the false bottom wall moves toward said erected position thereof, said lateral partitions are drawn out of the plane of said top wall to vertical, erected positions where said lateral partitions divide the interior of the carton into a plurality of separated compartments and prevent movement of said bottom, side and top Walls to the flattened condition of the latter.

3. A carton or the like comprising bottom, side and top walls hingedly connected along the longitudinal edges thereof for movement between a flattened condition and an erected condition defining a rectangular cross-section, end walls hingedly depending from the opposite ends of said top wall for rocking relative to the latter about lateral axes, said end walls being laterally coextensive with said top wall, a false bottom wall hingedly connected, at its opposite ends, to the edges of said end walls remote from said top wall for movement, in response to rocking of the latter, between an erected position upon said bottom Wall and an inoperative position against the underside of said top wall, lateral partitions which are laterally coextensive with said top wall, said lateral partitions being struck from said top wall and hingedly connected, at their opposite ends, to said top wall and false bottom wall, respectively, to rock parallel to said end walls with respect to the top wall so that, as the false bottom wall moves toward said erected position thereof, said lateral partitions are drawn out of the plane of said top wall to vertical, erected positions where said lateral partitions divide the interior of the carton into a plurality of separated compartments and prevent movement of said bottom, side and top walls to the flattened condition of the latter, and cooperating means on said bottom wall and false bottom wall engageable when the latter is in its erected position and operative to resist the return of said false bottom wall to said inoperative position in the direction for restoring said lateral partitions to said plane of the top wall.

4. A carton or the like according to claim 3; wherein said cooperating means on the bottom wall and false bottom wall are separable by movement of the latter in the opposite direction relative to the bottom wall, whereupon said false bottom wall can be displaced in said direction for restoring said lateral partitions to said plane of the top wall.

5. A carton or the like according to claim 4; wherein said cooperating means includes at least one ear struck upwardly from said bottom wall and extending in said opposite direction, said false bottom wall having a slot therein for each of said ears to receive the latter when said false bottom wall is in said erected position thereof.

6. A carton or the like comprising bottom, side and top walls hingedly connected along the longitudinal edges thereof for movement between a flattened condition and an erected condition defining a rectangular cross-section, end walls hingedly depending from the opposite ends of said top wall and rockable relative to the latter about laterally extending axes, said end walls being laterally coextensive with said top wall, a false bottom wall hingedly connected, at its opposite ends, to the edge of said end walls remote from said top wall for movement, in response to rocking of the end walls, between an erected position upon said bottom wall and an inoperative position against the underside of said top wall, said top Wall having a longitudinally arranged series of portions struck therefrom and joined to said top wall along lateral fold lines, said portions being laterally coextensive with said top wall, and tabs hingedly connected along lateral fold lines to the free ends of said portions struck from the top wall and adhesively secured to said false bottom wall with the related portions arranged parallel to said end walls so that, as said false bottom wall moves toward said erected posit-ion thereof, said portions and end Walls simultaneously are drawn out of the plane of said top wall to vertical, erected positions where said portions define partitions extending from one side wall to the other side wall and dividing the interior of the carton into a plurality of separated compartments.

7. A carton or the like comprising bottom, side and top walls and a longitudinal partition between said top and bottom walls parallel to said side walls, said walls and partition being hingedly connected for movement between an erected condition, where said side walls and partition are perpendicular to said top and bottom walls, and a flattened condition, end walls hingedly depending from the ends of said top wall at the opposite sides of said longitudinal partition to rock relative to said top wall about lateral axes, said end Walls being laterally coextensive with the parts of the top wall at said opposite sides of the longitudinal partition, a false bottom at each side of said partition and hingedly connected, at lateral fold lines at its opposite ends, to the end walls at the related side of the longitudinal partition for movement, in response to rocking of the related end walls, between an erected position upon said bottom wall and an inoperative position against the underside of said top wall, and lateral partitions struck from, and being laterally coextensive with, said top wall at the opposite sides of 7 said longitudinal partition and hingedly connected, at lateral fold lines at their opposite ends, to said top wall and to the related false bottom wall, respectively, to rock relative to said top wall parallel with said end walls so that, as the false bottom wall moves toward said erected position thereof, the related lateral partitions are drawn out of the plane of said top wall to vertical, erected positions where said lateral partitions extend from said longitudinal partition to the opposite side walls and divide the interior of the carton into a plurality of separated compartments at each of the opposite sides of said lon tudinal partition.

8. A carton or the like comprising bottom, side and top walls and a longitudinal partition between said top and bottom walls parallel to said side walls, said walls and partition being hingedly connected for movement between an erected condition, where said side Walls and partition are perpendicular to said top and bottom Walls, and a flattened condition, end walls laterally coextensive with said top wall and hingedly depending from the ends of said top wall at the opposite sides of said longitudinal partition to rock relative to said top wall about lateral axes, a false bottom at each side of said partition and hingedly connected, at lateral fold lines at its opposite ends, to the end walls at the related side of the longitudinal partition for movement, in response to rocking of the related end walls, between an erected position upon said bottom Wall and an inoperative position against the underside of said top wall, said top wall having a longitudinally arranged series of lateral partition forming portions which are laterally coextensive with said top wall and are struck therefrom at the opposite sides of said longitudinal partition and joined to said top wall along lateral fold lines, and tabs hingedly connected to the free ends of said portions at lateral fold lines and secured to the false bottom wall at the related side of the longitudinal partition with said lateral partition forming portions arranged parallel to the end walls so that, as said false bottom walls move toward said erected positions thereof, said lateral partition forming portions and end Walls are simultaneously drawn out of the plane of said top wall to vertical, erected positions where said portions form lateral partitions extending from said longitudinal partition to the opposite side walls and dividing the interior of the carton into a plurality of compartments at each side of said longitudinal partition.

9. A one-piece carton or the like comprising a bottom wall, side walls foldably integral with the opposite side edges of said bottom wall, top wall portions foldably integral with said side walls and extending inwardly from the latter, a longitudinal partition foldably depending from the inner edges of said top wall portions and 'foldably secured to said bottom wall at the center of the latter to remain parallel to said side walls, end walls hingedly depending from the opposite ends of each of said top wall portions for rocking relative to the latter about lateral axes, false bottom forming portions integral with said end walls at lateral fold lines at the edges of said end walls remote from the related top wall portion and extending from the end walls between said bottom wall and the related top wall portion, the free ends of the false "bottom forming portions, at each side of said longitudinal partition, having their ends remote from the related end walls secured together to cause movement of the secured together false bottom forming portions, in response to rocking of the related end walls, between an erected position upon said bottom wall and an inoperative position against the underside of the related top wall portion, each of said top wall portions having a longitudinally arranged series of lateral partition forming portions struck therefrom and joined thereto along lateral fold lines, and tabs hingedly connected to said lateral partition forming portions along lateral fold lines and secured to the related false bottom forming portions at locations dis- 'posing said lateral partition forming'portions parallel to said end walls so that, as said false bottoin formingp'ortions move to said erected positions thereof, the related lateral partition forming portions and end walls are simultaneously drawn out of the plane of the related top wall portion to'vertical, erected positions where said lateral partition forming portions divide the interior of the carton into a plurality of compartments at each of the opposite sides of said longitudinal partition.

10. A one-piece carton or the like comprising a bottom wall, side walls integral with the opposite side edges of said bottom wall, a top wall integral with said side walls, end walls integrally depending from the opposite ends of said top Wall and joined to the latter along lateral fold lines, false bottom for-ming'portions integral with said end walls at lateral fold-lines and having their ends joined together between said top and bottom walls to move, in response to rocking of said end walls, between an erected position upon said bottom walland an inoperative position against the underside of said top wall, said top wall having at least one longitudinally arranged series of lateral partition forming portions struck therefrom and joined thereto along lateral fold lines, and tabs integral with the free ends of said lateral partition forming portions along lateral fold lines and also struck from said top wall, said tabs being secured to said false bottom forming portions at locations disposing the relatcd lateral partition forming portions parallel to said end walls so that, as said joined togetherfalse bottom forming portions are moved to said erected position, said lateral partition forming portions and end walls are simultaneously drawn out of the plane of said top wall to vertical, erected positions where said lateral partition forming portions divide the interior of the carton into a plurality of separated compartments.

11. A one-piece blank for producing a comparttnented carton comprising a central, bottom forming portion of rectangular configuration, side Wall forming portions joined to said central portion along longitudinal fold lines at the opposite side edges of said central portion, top wall forming portions joined to said side wall forming portions along longitudinal fold lines at the side edges of the latter remote from said central portion and having widths equal to substantially one-half the width of said central portion, longitudinal partition forming portions oined to said top wall forming portions along longitudinal fold lines at the outer side edges of the latter, end wall forming portions extending from the opposite ends of said top wall forming portions and joined to the latter along lateral fold lines, the length and width of said end wall and longitudinal partition forming portions, respectively, being substantially equal to the widths of said side wall forming portions, and false bottom forming portions extending length-Wise from said end wall forming portions and joined to the latter along lateral fold lines, the combined lengths of the false bottom forming portions associated with each top wall forming portron being substantially equal to the length of the latter, each of said top wall forming portions having a longitudinally arranged series of nested, generally U-shaped cuts each defining a lateral partition forming portion extending across the related top wall forming portionand a relatively narrow tab at the free end of the lateral partition forming portion, and lateral fold lines joining said lateral partition forming portions to the remainder of the related top wall forming portion and joining said tabs to the related lateral partition forming portions, the lengths of said lateral partition forming portions being substantially equal to the widths of said side wall form ing portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

